


An Illusion

by Nefaria_Black



Series: To Live in the Shadows [6]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Thorne & Rowling
Genre: Angst, Baby Delphi, Baby sitting, Delusion, Family Drama, Family Issues, Gen, Insomnia, Other, Prompt Fic, Protective Draco, Second Wizarding War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-04
Updated: 2018-03-04
Packaged: 2019-03-27 02:21:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,317
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13871055
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nefaria_Black/pseuds/Nefaria_Black
Summary: Months before the Battle of Hogwarts, Rodolphus is subjected to a reality check





	An Illusion

**Author's Note:**

> No specific warnings for this one. Do leave me your thoughts at the end, if you please  
> Prompts and Challenges listed at the end, as per usual

**An Illusion**

_Malfoy Manor, March 1998_

He was restless that night. Tossing and turning in his sheets, the emptiness by his side glaring at him in the dark. She was gone once more, summoned to another’s chambers. He needed her, not carnally, but her physical presence by his side was soothing, he needed the smell of roses and smoke that now lingered permanently on her curls to lull him to sleep. Especially on cold nights, when the memory of Azkaban seemed to seep past his flesh, into his bones.

He gave up after a while, maybe minutes, maybe hours. There was only one other person that could calm him in nights like these. An eight-month old baby with dark curls as soothing as those of her Mother. And eyes as disquieting as her Father’s. He could face those eyes though, for they were tempered with something his Master’s lacked. Affection. The little girl genuinely liked Uncle Dolph, as he referred to himself around her.

Rodolphus tiptoed his way down the corridor, trying not to wake the sleeping child as he reached the door to the nursery. He stilled then, and listened. The little girl was laughing. She sometimes laughed in her sleep, and he smiled at the thought. He pushed the door open, keeping quiet not to disturb her, only to still again.

There was someone else in the room with her, the reason for her giggles. A pale, thin wizard with pale blond hair. He had fallen asleep in a large armchair, where Bella used to nurse her child in the beginning, and Delphini happily talked away in sounds and syllables only she understood, standing on Draco’s legs, whose arms were still around the little girl, shielding her, a hand on her back to steady her, even in his sleep.

This girl had the charming ways of her Father. Bellatrix was devoted to her like she had never been to anyone but her Master. Narcissa cared for her with the tenderness of a Mother. Draco was her most fierce protector, won over by an infant only days old, by the vulnerability that mirrored his. Rodolphus, who should loathe this child, as she was living proof of what he had known for years, as she was the fruit of Bella’s womb that she had never bestowed upon him, simply could not. Because the girl had the looks of her Mother, because her smile was all Bella’s. Because he could pretend she was his.

This girl kept the broken lot of them together, perhaps more tightly than they would like to admit. Perhaps even more than the ink on their forearms. They all congregated to her when they needed fixing. She was all joy and easy smiles, made more precious by the notion of brevity they all shared. She was the Dark Lord’s daughter, she would play her role in his game, and she would not be giggles and happiness for that long. Not nearly as long as a normal child.

He walked to the armchair, meaning to pick up Delphini, but three feet away from his goal Draco’s eyes snapped open, his left arm holding her to his chest, his right hand pointing his wand square at Rodolphus chest.

“It’s all right, Draco,” he quickly said, putting his hands up, “it’s just me.” He dropped his hands only when Draco lowered his wand. The gods knew he was on edge all the time these days, ever fearing an attack. Delphini had wrapped her tiny arms around his neck at first, but was smiling now.

“I’m sorry. I couldn’t sleep and she was up when I checked on her, so…”

Draco shrugged his shoulders, raking his fingers through his disheveled hair, immediately made messy again by small hands.

“Can I take her now? You can go and sleep, I’ll stay here.”

A weird shadow came over Draco’s eyes, his head tilted slightly. Delphini became quiet and still at his suspicion, then squinted and her hair became pale blonde, her eyes grey. Draco smiled at her mimicry and she was at ease and talkative again, but returned his wary eyes to Rodolphus face.

“Why do you care about her so much?” The question felt like an accusation. Draco wasn’t only protective of Delphini, he was possessive too. The same way Rodolphus was, except he clearly thought that there was no reason for such feelings from the husband of the girl’s Mother. “She is not family to you.”

Rodolphus mused on the meaning of that. Here was a wizard raised to care only for those closest, not to compromise himself with too many close connections. One that had been taught that only family was worth sacrificing oneself for. He understood his doubt, but the explanation was simple.

“Family don’t end with blood. I love her as if she was my own.”

Draco scoffed, still not giving up Delphini. The boy could see through him, through the fragile belief he held that allowed him to love such a child. Rodolphus felt the hit of that scoff in his stomach, deep in his mind.

“You do not love her,” the scorn of his words was tangible, “just the idea of her.” Delphini had become serious once more, her magic on the verge of sparking. It was a capricious thing, Delphini’s magic, still unbound by logic and teachings, that seemed to float in the air around her when anything disturbed her. It was a bit like heat radiating from a fire, distorting the air above it, sometimes it was even more visible, a little lightning storm that would jolt whoever held her at the moment.

“Give her to me, Draco, and go to sleep,” he was impatient now, he too was deprived of sleep and in need of what could fix that, “you’re much too tired to make any sense.” Except he was actually making perfect sense, exposing the brittleness of his feelings for her.

Delphini squealed in Draco’s arms, returning to his looks. Rodolphus felt a pang at his heart when she did, because his illusion was dissolving right in front of his eyes. She was harder to love like this, when he could not pretend that she was his because she no longer looked like Bella.

“You love the pretend game you play out of love for her Mother. Out of fear of the Dark Lord. You only love her when she looks like my Aunt. You would turn your wand on her, you would, should she ever mimic her Father.”

That was the drop that spilled over the edge of his bowl of frustration.

Rodolphus moved like a menace towards Draco, sealing his fate. Delphini was already upset, but that disturbed her to the breaking point and her magic sparked off her small body, hurting the two of them back into their senses.

Rodolphus found himself on the floor, gasping for air, like he had just been submitted to a second-long powerful _Cruciatus_. And maybe he had, since the girl was Bellatrix’s. Draco stumbled where he stood, but his legs didn’t give. Delphini stared at them both, her eyes jumping from one to the other, but did not cry.

She was well aware of her ability already, it seemed, and used it to her own ends. She was afraid for a moment, so she made the fear go away. She was now taking in the view of her feat, appraising the outcome, with her dark wide eyes. Devoid of affection in that moment, cynical and clinical, entirely her Father’s.

Draco took another step back when Rodolphus made to rise, but never reached for his wand. There was no need to. For he rose only to run for the door, despair in his every move. The flimsy façade had shattered.

But it would be rebuilt, again and again, as Rodolphus needed to sleep and Bella was almost never there for him.

**Author's Note:**

> Prompts and Challenges  
> Home Economics & Domestic Magic Task 1: Eggs - Write about something fragile.  
> Creative Collection Challenge: Pairing - Draco Malfoy; Dialogue - You don’t love him/her, just the idea of him/her  
> Jewel Challenge (combo): Jasper Ring - Write about someone seeking treatment for insomnia; Jasper Necklace - Write about a stabilising force within a family/relationship  
> Caffeine Awareness Challenge: Turkish Coffee - (dialogue) "Family don't end with blood."  
> 365 Prompts Challenge: 90.Dialogue - "Family don't end with blood."


End file.
